Re: Email to CBS News outlet in Dallas Texas

[John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>]

Stewart,

I am not sure if I would call this a quesiton of

balanced news coverage but an example of ignorance. 

Of course, with the hightened state of fear in our

country (Code Yellow today?) I am not suprised of the

the over response (an obvious understatement) of the

police.



I applaud your efforts.  



--- Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net> wrote:

> Hi all:

> Anyone intent on disputing the questionable balance

> in news coverage in any media 

> outlet [whether print or electronic] should

> determine who in the organization is 

> fulfilling the assigned and vital role of

> "Ombudsman". This individual has the 

> responsibility to investigate any situation where a

> reader or viewer feels there 

> has been bias in news reporting.

> 

> As an example, I was able by getting the ear of the

> Ombudsman at the Boston Globe 

> in one case [after the reporter said its not his job

> to correct even blatant 

> errors of fact], to be given space for an op-ed

> column [vs. a 100 word brief 

> letter-to-the editor] once I clearly documented the

> nature of both factual errors 

> and errors of emphasis-clear deficiencies and bias

> in Globe reporting. The case 

> involved a front page, banner headline, above the

> fold, inflamatory story about a 

> stolen 2 microcurie Co-57 button source which led to

> the Massachusetts State 

> Police to seal off a square mile of South Boston. A

> medical technicians car had 

> been stolen and when his toolbox was found emptied,

> THE COBALT SOURCE WAS 

> MISSING!!

> 

> Front page Boston Globe photos showed the Mass.

> State Police running around with 

> Civil Defense survey meters looking for a trivial

> Co-57 exempt quantity radiation 

> source [ a few micro-R at one foot] the police could

> never have seen even if they 

> were standing on top of the source, while the Boston

> Globe reported that anyone 

> handling this "cobalt radioactive source" could

> suffer radiation sickness and 

> radiation burns!!!

> 

> Also, as a general rule while using 4 letter

> expletives [for what the deficient 

> reporting may resemble in content or odor]  may make

> the writer feel better in 

> criticizing some example of biased news coverage, it

> will only get the editor or 

> reporter [who will never ever correct their even

> blatant error of fact], 

> irritated and your letter tossed, and especially an

> e-mail instantly deleted.

> 







=====

-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com



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